At the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, Russian and Belarusian athletes will be able to participate under a neutral flag and under strict conditions of neutrality in the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, which will be held from August 28 to September 8, the International Paralympic Committee – IPC has decided. rejecting a complete suspension of these countries, this Friday in the city of Manama, Bahrain.
The IPC, which had shown signs of independence from the International Olympic Committee -IOC- in the past, this time followed the roadmap of the Olympic body. On March 28, 2023, the IOC recommended that international federations allow the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes, as neutral individual athletes, in international competitions.
Decision
Meeting in a general assembly this Friday, the members of the IPC initially voted for the complete suspension of the Russian Paralympic committee, supported by practically all European national Paralympic committees. But it was rejected by 74 votes for, 65 against and 13 abstentions. The second motion, on the partial suspension of the Russian Paralympic Committee, was adopted by 90 votes for, 56 against and 6 abstentions.
“Due to the partial suspension, the NPC Russia loses all its rights as a member of the IPC. In every way, its athletes are eligible to participate individually and neutrally at the Paralympic Games in Paris,” explained the IPC.
The duration of Russia’s partial suspension by the IPC is two years, a decision “subject to review at the next ordinary general meeting” next year.
Later, also on Friday, the IPC decided on Belarus’s membership status. He made the same decision, rejecting the total suspension and supporting the partial suspension (79 votes for, 57 against and 9 abstentions).
